Erectile dysfunction or impotence is the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough to be able to have sex.
There are a number of different causes of erectile dysfunction. They may be physical such as vascular diseases, psychological as in depression, or be lifestyle related such as alcoholism or smoking.
Currently, there are several types of treatment for sexual impotence. If this occurs frequently (once every 4 sexual encounters), a doctor should be consulted.
Erectile dysfunction can be cured. There are currently several types of treatment for the different causes of impotence and although some underlying conditions can not be cured, many can be treated and controlled, restoring the ability to achieve an erection.
Treatment will depend on the causes of the illness. However, there are some recommended guidelines. Among them are the following:
– Adopt a healthy lifestyle
– Consult a psychologist or psychiatrist
– Consult a urologist who may prescribe oral medication, which will help the erectile mechanism to function better. These usually improve blood supply to the penis. These drugs increase nitric oxide, a natural substance that causes relaxation of the penile muscles and promote dilatation of the arteries. In other words, these medications are not aphrodisiacs and need sexual stimulation to function. When this is done, the drugs help maintain an erection. You can also prescribe other types of treatments such as: Vacuum pump; Penile Injection, Intraurethral Therapy (or as it’s officially known, medicated urethral system for erections, or MUSE), or even a Penile Prosthesis.
